


If You Look Out Of The Corner Of Your Eye

by Tortellini



Category: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hunger Games Setting, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Character Study, Conversations, Fear, Fear of Death, Gen, Late Night Conversations, Light Angst, Mentor-Tribute Relationship, Mentors, Original Arena(s) (Hunger Games), POV First Person, Wordcount: 100-500, Worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:22:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24983017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tortellini/pseuds/Tortellini
Summary: The girl from District 9 has a conversation with her mentor the night before she enters the arena. She's scared. But of what, exactly?Oneshot/drabble
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	If You Look Out Of The Corner Of Your Eye

“If you look very slightly out of the corner of your eye, you will see a dark form behind you.”

I jumped a little and turned my head, strands of my hair starting to come out of its usual braid. There stood my district mentor Callum, his arms folded neatly across his chest.

The roof seemed to turn smaller then—and I’d be lying if I said he hadn’t scared me. But, putting on the best poker face I could muster, I turned away from him and stared down at the twinkling lights of the Capitol.

Oh you dumb, sweet folks, I mused silently at the city.

“I scare y’?” Callum drawled next to me, a hand rubbing his weather-beaten unshaven chin. Wordlessly, I shook my head. He gave a dry humorless laugh. “Huh. Thought I did.”

I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye.

He wetted his lips. “Nervous for tomorrow?”

“Were you?” 

He laughed again. “Hell yeah—thought for sure I’d die in the bloodbath, from one o’ those careers. Or from the arena—that arena…” his voice trailed off in thought, remembering his own Games.

“What arena? Were you in, I mean.” I got up the courage to ask.

“Yeah, that was before you were born, huh?” he paused. Perhaps he forgot, I thought for a split second—but no, of course not. Once you went into the Hunger Games, you _never_ forgot your arena. Or the other tributes. 

I waited.

“…Forty-sixth Hunger Games,” he said in a quiet bitter voice he reserved for the worst of things. “The arena was a gigantic basement.”

I swallowed nervously—what-what was my arena going to be like…?

“Callum?” I asked softly after awhile. He looked at me from beneath his overgrown hair.

“What?”

“Do you think I’m going to die?” I whispered.

“I’m your mentor.” He said shortly. “What do you think I’m going to say to that?”

“Really, though.”

He sighed. “It’s all right to be nervous, Rydell.” He said gruffly. “Everyone is. Just…try your best, and it’ll all work out.”

“Really?”

He laughed once more. “Hopefully. District 9 is counting on it.”


End file.
